Canadians are calling for action to fight climate change in a way that will build a strong economy, keep life affordable, and ensure clean air for communities. The Low Carbon Economy Challenge is just one of the many ways the Government of Canada is working with partners across the country to leverage Canadian ingenuity to fight climate change, generate clean growth, build resilient communities, and create good jobs for Canadians.
Today, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced the launch of a new application period for the Low Carbon Economy Challenge, known as the Challenge Fund, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The Challenge Fund will invest up to $170 million to support projects that deploy proven, low-carbon technologies, such as energy efficiency retrofits, waste diversion, and fuel switching, like renewable energy production or heat pump installations. These investments will reduce greenhouse gas emissions across sectors and contribute to meeting Canada's 2030 emissions reduction target, creating a healthy environment while building strong, clean, energy-efficient communities.
Parliamentary Secretary Dabrusin was joined by Kristi Simpson, Vice-President, Finance and Operations at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, to highlight progress on a project to electrify a portion of the district energy system that services 32 buildings across its main campus. Supported by up to $2.4 million from the 2022 Challenge Fund, the university is replacing one existing natural gas boiler with electric boilers, which will reduce consumption of natural gas and its overall greenhouse gas emissions, helping the university save on costs and creating a cleaner campus environment.
